Avomeen formulation chemists used advanced testing methods such as FT-IR, HPLC, LC/MS, GC/MS, ICP-MS, and AA to identify and quantitate organic and inorganic compounds in ink samples. Our chemists then utilize their reformulation expertise to develop trial batches for new products, including specialty inks and dyes for medical or industrial applications.

Industry:Consumer ProductsProblem: Japanese competitor sold a better productSolution: A ballpoint pen manufacturer wanted to know why the ink from a competing Japanese ballpoint manufacturer dried faster and had a brighter color. The problem called for a detailed deformulation of the competing product, which involved separation of the various components using a series of solvent extractions and preparative chromatographic techniques. The ingredients were identified using NMR, GC/MS and FT-IR spectroscopy. While most of the ingredients in the competing ink were chemically similar to those in our client’s product, the competing product contained a metallic compound as identified by ICP-MS. The metallic compound served as a catalyst in the curing process, which caused the ink to dry faster. We also identified the additive responsible for the brightness.